Improvement in locks for railroad-switches



To alll whom 'it may concern thumb itc aaai effet Letters Patent No. 109,182, dated November l5, i870. g

IMPROVEMENT IN LCKS FIOR RAILROADSWlTCHES.

The Schedule referred to tlese Lettera Patent and making part of the same.

Be it known that I, ALONZO W. CRAM, of St. Louis, in the Vcounty of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch-Locks;V and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description Oi' the same, reference being had to the'aceompanying drawing making a part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective viewof plate L, case C, and bolt D; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of bolt B and its internal mechanism separate from case G.

.'lhis invention consists in the .combination ot' a lock mechanism withl a plate bent at lrightv `angles at ltwo points, so as to form aiuolset which adapts it to be attached to the swinging lever Ot'fa switch mechanism, in Order that the lock-bolt maybe thrust into one ofthe holes in the switch-stand so as to lock the switch, and drawn out from the same so as to unlock it.

The invention also consists in a lock-bolt 'made with a key hole in its outer end, for the purpose of enabling the key to :be used in drawing the bolt back after unlocking it.

In thedrawing* Lis an iron plate, provided with holes by which to screw it upon the movable bar of a switch.

O is a sleeve, fastened at one end in any suitable manner to the pla-te L.

B is a bolt, sliding' within thesleeve C, and as much longer than the same as may be necessary, in Order to project beyond it and enter an orifice in the switch-frame.

l11 is a circumferential l'nnge on that part ofthe bolt lying within the case C. Y

E is a spiral spring surrounding the bolt B, aud coniined between the iiange F and a iiange projecting inwardly 'from the end of' the sleeve C, the fune. tion Ot' the spring being to throw the bolt outward on` the rising ot'v the ln-tch A, into one of the holes in the switch-frame after it has been'withdrawn therefrom, for the purpose of' moving the switch-bar.

l) is a notch near the outer end of the boltB.'

A is a latch, pivoted at one end to the plate L, just overa transverse slot in the outer case 0,'the nntion of Vthe latchbeing to hold back the-bolt B .when the latter is drawn inward far enough to bring the notch I) under the latch.

K is a'lock-bolt, placed transversely of the bolt B, 'and projecting a little beyond the side of the saine, so as to enter a' recess in the inside of the sleeve O, the bolt K being governed by a spring, and serving to lock the the bolt B, and sleeve' O together.

N is a key-hole in the end of the bolt B. l

H, iig. 2, is a plate inside the bolt Bwhich slides on pins, and is pressed by a spring against the inside of the end oi the bolt, so as to close the key-hole.

\Vhen ,the switch-bar is tO be moved, the key is placed in the key-hole, and the plate H pushed back by it. Then the key is turned so as to withdraw the bolt K from its recess in the sleeve G, after which, on pulling with the key against the end of bolt B, the latter may be withdrawn from the switch-frame and held by the latch A, dropping into the notch D, as before explained.

The switch having been changed, O11 simply lifting the latch A the bolt B flies back into the switchframe.

Having thus described 4my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters yPatent, is-

1. The sleeve O, bolt B, flange F, and spring E, in combination .with the plate F, when the latter'is bent at right angles atthe points x rv, so as to form an Oii'set which adapts it to be attached to a switchbar, substantially as described. j

2. The bolt B provided with the key-hole N in its outer` end,.i`or"the purpose of admitting the key, at a point whiehenables the. bolt to be drawn outward by pulling on the key, substantially as described.

` ALONZO W'. CRAM.

Witnesses:

. HENRY A. Forms,

S. M. SMITH. 

